Rotary display rack



July 18, 1950 R. F. JOHNSON ROTARY DISPLAY RACK INVENTOR. FOBERTF dbl/N50)! 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 25, 1947 ATTUFNEYJ July 18, 1950 I JOHNSON 2,515,925

ROTARY DISPLAY RACK Filed March 25, 1947 i 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N V EN TOR. F0152??? F JOHNSON ATTORNEYS.

July 18, 1950 R. F. JOHNSON 2,515,925

ROTARY DISPLAY RACK Filed March 25, 1947 s Sheets-Sheet :s

I N V EN TOR. FMBERTF z/bH/VSON ATTORNEYS.

Patented July 18, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE v ROTARY' DISPLAY RACK Robert F. JhhnsomWcnatche-c, Wash.

Application arches, 1947; Serial No. 737,056

An object ofmy inventionis to prov ide a rotary display rack which is an improvement over-my patent for a similar deviceissued Ma 4, 1926, No. 1,583,158. In the patent I- show two pairs-of rotary arms, each pair carrying a sheet engaging roller for turning successive sheets so that each sheet in a group may be examinedindividu ally for a predeterminedilengtn of time before' .another sheet comes into view.

In my present device, I- make use of novel means for causing the roller to be maintained int-proper parallel arrangement with the plane'of theiront sheet during the movement ofthe sheet engag ing roller. The 'means performs an additional function of successively engaging with't'he bottom of each sheet and carry it forwardly andupwardly and over'the topo'i the group of sheetsandfinaliy releases itso that thesheet will drop to the hack of the group. The device can carryan number of sheets up to it's full capacity; Adjustment is made to accommodate any number oflsheetssup to thisfull capacity; i

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novel features of the device will be particularly pointed? out. in the appended claims;

Figure 1 is-a perspectiveview ofthe entire dcvlc'e;

Figure 2 is a front elevationon; an enlarged scale, a portion being broken away to show-the motor'drive;

Figure 3 is-anendview of the rotating frame;

Figure an enlarged vertical section through the left hand hearingishown: in Figures2 that re.- tatably carries the sheet-turning frame;

Figure 5 is a top plan view .of Figure 42;

Figured is aperspective view of one ofthearms that supports the removable sheets; I

Figure 7is a: side elevation of Figure 2;

Figure 8 is an enlarged view of thev sheet turn- 10 Claims. (01. 40-104) Figure I5 is an enlarged schematic view illustrating how the star wheel engages with a sheet of paper;

Figure 16' is a front elevation of a sheet illus trating howitis-supported and Figure 1 is a top plan view of Figure 16 and illustrates'how a sheet of paper may be removed from its: supporting arms for closer inspection or to'have another sheet substituted fcr'it. I

While I have shown only the preferred form of my invention. it should: be understood that various change or modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims without mg end of the rotating frame, portions: being I departing from-the spirit and scope of the invention.

In carrying out my' invention, I provide a base indicatedgenerally at A in Figure 1 and this base' supports a frame indicated generally at B. The" frame-is shown on a" larger scale in Figure 2 and comprises side members 1* and '2 extending upwardly from a; lower housing. indicated at C. Withincthehousingta motor Dis mounted. Again referring: tofFigure 1, I show a metal frame E ex tending ahove'theiframe B and supporting a plate 3 thazt' maycontain any desiredinformation, such as an advertisement.

Within the sides II: and 2 of the frame B I ro-.

tatably mount apage'or'sheet turning frame in dicaihdigenerallyat F. The frame F has apair charms-.4- and 5 that project nadially from discs-'6 and M; respectively. The disc 6 is shown in enlarged section Figure 4 and is rotatably mountediom-a stub shaft 1; the latter beingsecured to the frame side i by a base portion- 8 and screwsor othersuitable fastening means 9. A pulley 10 is rotatably mounted on the stub shaft undisgkeyed to the disc 6 at H. Figure 2 illus tratesehow a belt. |2= connects the pulley, ID to a pulley l2- thatis mounted'in the housing C. The latterrpulley is connected to the motor Dthrough suitahl'e-gearreduction' mechanism, not shown. I

The 811113515 connected to the disc l4 th atis similar to "the disc 6 andthe disc I4 is rotatably mounted on ,a, stub shaft L5 which is carried by the frame :side 'Z. Each arm 4 and- 5 has an enlargedrarcuate-end-shown at 16 in Figure 8. Since each enlarge'daend isthe same in construction, a description of one will. s'ufflce for both. The arcuate end Hi has a slot H therein and the slotsof the two: ends receive a paper sheet engaging rollershaft Hhsee Figure-8; 'I-heshaft It has a roller 19 rigidly mounted at each endthereof and-leach roller has'conically-shaped flanges- :Sa asrshownuiniFig-ures'9 and 11. The arrangement is's'uch that the rollers l9 are free to roll along to the arcuate end I6 at 2|, see Figure 8,'a'ndthe cord extends through a bore 22. The cable 29 has its other end wrapped around the roller IS! with a few turns, see Figure 11, and then the' end is secured to the roller. 7 has one end secured to the same roller and is wrapped around this roller for a'few turns-in A second cable 23 the same direction as the other cable 2D, and,,;

then the free end of the cable 23 is secured to a coil spring 24, see Figure 8. mounted in a bore and has its other end attached to the arm portion H3 at 26. When the arm is swung into a position for causing. the slot I! to be inclined upwardly, the roller shaft l8 will move by gravity and its rotative movement will be controlled by the cables Hand 23, one cable winding up on the roller I8 while the other unwinds, this dependin inwhich direction the shaft moves. The arrangement is such that the roller shaft can move throughout the .entire length of the slots l1.

At the center of the shaft 18, and between the rollers I9, I mount a star wheel indicated generally at G, see Figure 3. An enlargement of this wheel is shown in Figure 10 and it will be seen that the wheel has a plurality of wire-engaging teeth 21 thereon. I show four teeth spaced equal distances apart and each tooth has a recess 21a, associated therewith and large enough to receive a wire 28 that is carried-atthe lower end of a sheet of paper indicated generally at H.

The particular size of the paper used can b varied up to the limits of the machine and I show in Figure 16 the sheet Has having awire 29 extending across its top and'paralleling the front page. Figure 14 illustrates the roller shaft 5 and star wheel in dotted position at the forward end of the slot I! and received in the slot depression 42, while Figure 2 shows the righthand arm end It carrying a pin 34 that engages with a starter arm 35, the latter being pivoted at 36 to the inner surface of the frame side 2. A coil spring 31, see Figure 13, normally holds the arm against a rubber bumper or stop 38, also carried by the inner surface of the side frame 2. Figure 13 indicates how the pin 34 until the free end of this arm is released from the pin. At this point the spring 31 has been ,tensioned as shown in Figure 14 and will swing the arm clockwise and cause it to contact with The "spring :is P

bottom wire 28. The top wire -29projects beyond the sides of the sheet and the ends of the wire are received in slots 30 formed in the heads 3! of a pair of stationary upright arms 32, see-one of the heads in Figure 6. Referring to Figures 2 and 4, it will be seen that the-- arms 32 extend through openings in the stationary stub shafts 1 and I5 and are held in adjusted position by set screws 33, see Figure 5. The'heads'3l are arranged so that both slots 30 will be at" the ,same height above the pivotal axis of the frame F. Figure 12 indicates how the lower edge of the slot 30 is inclined so that the ends of the top wires 29 will gravitate toward the end 30a of the slot. The star wheel G will'be in a position tohave one of its teeth 21 catch the wire 28 on the forc most page H, which will be the right hand" page when looking at Figure 12." As already stated, the roller shaft I8 will move by gravitynwhen the ends it of the arms 4 and 5 start to swing forwardly and upwardly so as to'incline the slots. The cables 20 and 23 will control the rotation of the shaft and the cables 23will cause it to rotate in a counterclockwise direction when'looking at Figure 10. Figure 15' illustrates how the tooth 21 engages with a bottom wire 28 of the foremost sheet or page and causes this'wire to be received in the associate recessZTa.

It is necessary that the shaft [8 be started in its rotative and rearward movement toward the first page H after the end ill of each arm has moved a predetermined distance beyond this the portion of the roller shaft I8 extending beyond the right-hand end of the frame F, shown in Figure 2. The shaft will rotate and move along the slot and the star wheel will be rotated counterclockwise by the shaft to engage with the wire28 as shown in Figure 15.

Asthe roller shaft carrying arms 4 and 5 continue to rotate in a counterclockwise direction when looking at Figure 7, the weight of the roller shaft l8 plus the pull of the cables 23 will urge one of the teeth 21 to engage with the wire- 28. Furthermore, Figure 10 shows how the portion of the paper H disposed adjacent to the star wheel is held taut by the tooth so as ,to aid in maintaining the wire in the recess 21a. The forward and upward swing of the arms 5 and 6 will therefore lift the lower free end of the paper H as shownin Figure 7 and a new sheet will thus be uncovered and viewable by a, person standing or sitting in front of the machine.

The continued tendency of the star wheel to rotate counterclockwise-will keep its tooth engaged with the wire 28 until the sheet or page reaches the top position shown in dotted lines in Figure -7. When the arm ends l6 pass beyond this topposition, as .shown in Figure 12, the slotsl'l will be inclined downward and the roller shaft I8 will tend to return in its movement along the lengths of the slots IT. The cables will rotate the shaft in an opposite or clockwise direction and will free the star wheel from the wire 28 with the result that the end of the sheet will be freed. The freeing takes place after the top wire 29 of the moved sheet is transferred from a position in front of the group of wires to the back of the same group. The turned sheet will now drop in back of the group of sheets as clearly shown in Figure 12.

The effectivelength of each slot 30 is controlled by means of an adjustable U-shaped frame J, see Figure 6. This frame has a pair of inclined edges 39 against which the ends of the wire '29 contact after the page has been removed from the front of the group of pages to the back; The inclined edges 39 guide the wire 29 down to the lower side of the slot 30 and this lower side has enough angle to cause the wires to move forwardly as the forward pages are turned to the back of the group. An adjusting screw 401s carried by each head 3| and is threaded into a sleeve 4| carried by each frame J so that the frames can be adjusted along the lengths of the slots to uncover as much of them as desired.-

Should the wire 28 become caught in the star wheel due to the over-riding of the wheel by the freed end of the paper at the moment of release, the springs 24 will yield and permit movement of the cables 23, which in turn will permit the 5 roliershaft F8t'omove asufficientd-istanceto disengagethe star-wheeltoothfrom the wire. Figure 13 shows the forward end ofthe-slot il' provided withadepression-42 fo'r'receivi ng the roller shaft t8: Whenthe-s'haft isin this depression or recessof e'achslo-t, itwill'place the star wheel far enough awayfrom the center of rotation of the. paper turning trainer and far enough away from the slots 30 so as to-permit the wheel to pass underthelowfer'edges of the group of pages withoutengaging themor the wires 28. The wheel is brought into proximity with the pages when it leaves the depressions we and moves toward the front page-as shown-in' Figures 14 and 15';

Tt -is possible' to provide t'wo arms with their enlarged arcuateends I5 and associate roll-er shaft IBand star wlieel 'Hl-"sothat two pages will be turned for each rotation of the frame. In the prsenttform, 1' have shownflonlyone pair of armsand'these'are counter-balanced'by arms 43-. The counter-balancing of tliearms 43 permits the motor torotate the armsfl and 5 freely with" out needing much power. Ifit is desired to remove a pagef'rom the ma chine for closer examination, this-can be done by flexing the top wirezls as 'shown in Figure 17 forfreeing its ends-from the-slots til: It is possible-to" addthe sheet to the group after it has been examined .or to substitute anew sheet. The machine is continuous in operation so long as the motor isiconneotedtovasource of current.

I claim: i

i. A rotary display raclrcomprising a pair of spaced supports, each having an inclined slot; a. pluralityof pages, each" having a supporting member whose ends are slidably" received in the slots and movable by gravity toward the lower ends of the slots, the pages being suspended from the members; a pair of spaced and parallel arms disposed on opposite sides of the suspended pages, means for rotating the arms in unison in planes at right angles to the planes of the Pages, the outer end of each arm having a slot that moves adjacent to the lower ends of the pages during a portion of the arm travel, a shaft having rollers movable along the arm slots by gravity; positive means for rotating the rollers as they move along their slots; a star wheel carried by the shaft, and having teeth, the lower ends of the pages having wires adapted to be engaged by the teeth; the arm slots being inclined upwardly as the outer arm ends swing by the lower ends of the pages, whereby the rollers and shaft will be rotated for causing a tooth of the star wheel to engage with the page wire nearest thereto and to lift and turn the page as the arms travel through their circle.

2. A rotary display rack comprising a pair of spaced supports, each having an inclined slot; a plurality of pages, each having a supporting member whose ends are slidably received in the slots and movable by gravity toward the lower ends of the slots, the pages being suspended from the members; a pair of spaced and parallel arms disposed on opposite sides of the suspended pages, means for rotating the arms in unison in planes at right angles to the planes of the pages, the outer end of each arm having a slot that moves adjacent to the lower ends of the pages during a portion of the arm travel, a shaft having rollers movable along the arm slots-by gravity; positive means for rotating the rollers as they move along their slots; a star wheel carried by the shaft, and having teeth, the lower ends of the pages having wires adapted to be engaged? by the'teeth; the arm slots being inclined upwardly as the outer arm endsswing by the lower ends-of the pages, whereby the rollers and shaftr'wili be rotatedior causing a tooth or the starwheel' to engage with the page'wire' nearest thereto and toliit and turn the page as the arms travel through their circle, and adjustable bracketsifor .thesupports for limiting the effective lengths of the support slots for holding the desired number of pagesupporting members, the brackets guiding, the supporting member of the turnedpage tothe opposite end of the supporting slots formerly occupied just prior to the page being turned: i

' 3. In a rotary display rack; inclined page sup porting meansg'a plurality of pages,.each having supporting members whose endsaresupportedby said means and slide by gravity in-one direction; a rotary frame having. its aXis of rotation disposed below the page supporting' members and having means associated with theend. thereof for successively engaging with the lower ends of the pages for turning them for display purposes and causing the page supporting members to move from one end-of: the. page supporting means to the opposite end, the rotary frame having sufficient length from the axis of rotation to the'page engagingmeans for carrying said means over the top. of the page supporting means so that the lower end. ofeach page will be carriedacross the tops of allother pages on the page supporting means.

4. In a rotary display rack; inolinedflpageisupportingmeans; aplura'lity of pages, each having supporting members whose ends are .supportediby said means and slide by gravity in one direction; a rotary frame having its axis of rotation. dis posed below the page supporting members and having means associated with the end" thereof for successively engaging with the lower ends of the leaves for turning them for display purposes and causin the page supporting members to move from one end of the page supporting means to the opposite end, said page engaging means including means for disengaging the frame from the page after the turning movement has been effected.

5. In a rotary display rack, a page supported at its upper edge, mechanical means for turning the page about its top edge and comprising a frame pivoted to straddle the page and havin guide slots therein, means for rotating the frame, a shaft, rollers supporting the shaft and movably receivable in the slots, means carried by the shaft for engaging with the lower edge of the page as the slots are carried past the same by the rotating frame and causing the said edge to follow its course, and positive means for rotating the rollers as they move along the slots for causing the page engaging means to grip the page.

6. In a rotary display rack, a page supported at its upper edge, mechanical means for turning the page about its top edge and comprising a frame pivoted to straddle the page and. having guide slots therein, means for rotating the frame, a shaft, rollers supporting the shaft and moveably receivable in the slots, means carried by the shaft for engaging with the lower edge of the page as the slots are carried past the same by the rotating frame and causing the said edge to follow its course, and positive means for rotating the rollers as they move along the slots for causing the page engaging means to grip the page, said last-named means including means for freeing the page after it has been turned.

7. In a rotary display rack, a page supported at its top edge, mechanical means for turning the page about its top edge and comprising a frame pivoted to straddle the page and having a pair of slots therein, means for rotating the frame, a shaft, rollers secured to the shaft and riding in the slots, a toothed wheel rotated by the shaft and having teeth falling into engagement with the lower edge of the page as the slots pass the same, and causing the edge to follow the course of the slots, and positive means for rotating the rollers when the slots are inclined from the horizontal during the rotation of the frame, whereby a better grip of the tooth on the page is effected.

8. In a rotary display rack, a page supported at its top edge, mechanical means for turning the page about its top edge and comprising a frame pivoted to straddle the page and having a pair of slots therein, means for rotating the frame, a shaft, rollers secured to the shaft and riding in the slots, a toothed wheel rotated by the shaft and having teeth falling into engagement with the lower edge of the page as the slots pass the same, and causing the edge to follow the course of the slots, and positive means for rotating the rollers when the slots are inclined from the horizontal durin the rotation of the frame, whereby a better grip of the tooth on the page is effected, said last-named means reversing the rotation of the wheel to free it from the page after the page has been advanced sufficiently to drop by its own weight.

9. In a rotary display rack, a plurality of pages supported at their upper edges, mechanical means for turning the pages successively about their top edges and comprising a frame pivoted to straddle the group of pages and having a pair of slots therein, means for rotating the frame, a shaft, rollers secured to the shaft and riding in the slots, a toothed wheel rotated by the shaft and having teeth adapted to engage with the lower edge of the page nearest the wheel as the slots pass the same, an arm pivoted and disposed adjacent to the path taken by the slots as they pass the lower edges of the pages, a pin carried by the frame for swinging the arm away from the first page of the group as the frame passes thereby and for freeing the arm after itfnas been swung a predetermined distance, the shaft having an end extending into the swinging. path of the arm against the shaft when the pin frees the arm, whereby the shaft is positively started in its travel toward the nearest page 10. In a rotary display rack, a page supporte at its upper edge, mechanical means for turning the page about its top edge and comprising a frame pivoted to straddle the page and having guide slots therein, means for rotating the frame, a shaft, rollers supporting the shaft and moveably receivable in the slots, a wire carried bythe lower edge of the page, the page having a cutaway portion for exposing a part of thewire, a toothed wheel carried by the shaft for engaging with the wire as the slots are carried past the page by the frame, said tooth also pressing against the adjacent portion of the page to aid in keeping the wire in engagement with the tooth.

ROBERT F. JOHNSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record inthe file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Johnson May 4, 1926 

